Nintendo Switch Online is the cheapest of the big console subscriptions and, for most Switch owners, the least optional: online play in Mario Kart, Splatoon and Animal Crossing needs it. What it is not is a Game Pass rival. There are no new releases, only a growing library of retro games, a handful of paid expansions on the Expansion Pack tier and, on Switch 2, GameCube classics and GameChat. The family plan is where it gets interesting. For the full field, see our gaming hub.
Nintendo Switch Online deal: 7-day free trial
- Offer: a free 7-day trial of the standard membership, one per Nintendo Account
- Promo Code: No Promo Code needed; claim the trial in Nintendo eShop
- Who qualifies: Nintendo Accounts that have not used the trial before
- Key terms: ends automatically unless you switch on automatic renewal; the Expansion Pack is not part of the trial
| Offer detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Promo Code | No Promo Code needed |
| Welcome offer | 7 days of Nintendo Switch Online free, then from £17.99 / US$19.99 / €19.99 a year |
| Who qualifies | One trial per Nintendo Account; accounts that have not had a trial before |
| Key terms | Trial ends on its own unless auto-renewal is on; no Expansion Pack features; classic controllers cannot be bought during the trial |
| How to claim | Open Nintendo eShop on your Switch, select Nintendo Switch Online and choose the free trial |
Nintendo Switch Online: key facts
- Official website: nintendo.com
- Owner: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
- Headquarters: Kyoto, Japan
- Founded: September 2018 (Expansion Pack October 2021)
- Ratings: App Store 3.1 (13K ratings, US App Store, Nintendo Switch App); Google Play 3.9 (77.6K reviews, Google Play, Nintendo Switch App); Trustpilot 1.3 (1,401 reviews, nintendo.com)
- Headline offer: 7-day free trial, then from £17.99 / US$19.99 / €19.99 a year; family plan for up to 8 accounts
- Promo Code: No Promo Code needed
- Price from: £3.49 / US$3.99 / €3.99 a month; £17.99 / US$19.99 / €19.99 a year
- Free plan or trial: No free plan; 7-day free trial once per Nintendo Account (standard membership only)
- Payment methods: Credit or debit card, Nintendo eShop funds / eShop cards
- Best features: Family plan covers up to 8 Nintendo Accounts; Expansion Pack: N64, GBA, Mega Drive and GameCube (Switch 2) libraries; Free add-ons: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass, Happy Home Paradise
Get the Nintendo Switch Online offer
Nintendo Switch Online at a glance
- Price from: £3.49 / US$3.99 / €3.99 a month, or £17.99 / US$19.99 / €19.99 a year
- Family plan: £31.49 / US$34.99 / €34.99 a year for up to eight Nintendo Accounts
- Expansion Pack: £34.99 / US$49.99 / €39.99 a year, or £59.99 / US$79.99 / €69.99 for a family
- Free trial: 7 days, standard membership only
- Cloud streaming: no
- Devices: Nintendo Switch family and Nintendo Switch 2
- App rating: Nintendo Switch App 3.1/5 from 13K ratings (US App Store); 3.9/5 on Google Play
What Nintendo Switch Online is, and who owns it
Nintendo Switch Online is run by Nintendo Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kyoto. It launched in September 2018, eighteen months after the Switch, and added the dearer Expansion Pack tier in October 2021. On Switch 2 it also unlocks GameChat, Nintendo’s voice and video chat, and the GameCube library.
Nintendo Switch Online prices: every plan explained
| Plan | UK | US | Eurozone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | £3.49 | US$3.99 | €3.99 |
| 3 months | £6.99 | US$7.99 | €7.99 |
| 12 months, individual | £17.99 | US$19.99 | €19.99 |
| 12 months, family (up to 8 accounts) | £31.49 | US$34.99 | €34.99 |
| Expansion Pack, 12 months, individual | £34.99 | US$49.99 | €39.99 |
| Expansion Pack, 12 months, family | £59.99 | US$79.99 | €69.99 |
Regional differences. The Expansion Pack is noticeably dearer in the US: US$49.99 is about £37.51 at our exchange rate, against £34.99 in the UK and €39.99 (about £33.70) in the eurozone. The standard plan is close to parity everywhere. US prices exclude sales tax.
The standard membership covers online play, Save Data Cloud backups for most games, the NES, Super NES and Game Boy libraries, the Nintendo Music app, members-only offers and game trials, and the Nintendo Switch App on your phone.
The Expansion Pack adds Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, Virtual Boy and Sega Mega Drive libraries, GameCube games on Switch 2, and paid add-ons at no extra cost while you subscribe: the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass, Animal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home Paradise and Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion. It also includes the Switch 2 Edition upgrades of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, if you own the base game.
Family plans are sold only by the year. If you are already a member, you can upgrade to the Expansion Pack and Nintendo credits the time you have left.
Free trial and official discounts
The 7-day trial is the only standing offer. It ends automatically, which makes it one of the friendlier trials in gaming: you will not be charged unless you choose to renew. Nintendo does not publish Promo Codes, and we do not list codes from voucher sites. The real savings are annual billing and the family plan.
A worked example: one family plan, eight accounts
Take a family of five in Cork, two parents and three children, with a Switch 2 in the living room and two older Switch Lites upstairs.
- Five individual annual memberships would cost €99.95 (£84.23 / US$112.24).
- One family membership costs €34.99 and covers all five, with three slots spare for grandparents or cousins.
- Upgrading to the Expansion Pack family plan costs €69.99, or €14.00 a head for the five of them, and brings the Mario Kart and Animal Crossing add-ons, plus GameCube games on the Switch 2.
In sterling, the Expansion Pack family plan at £59.99 split across eight accounts is £7.50 each a year. Paying monthly for a single account, by contrast, costs £41.88 a year, more than double the annual price of £17.99.
Game library highlights
Nintendo’s retro catalogue is the main draw, and it keeps growing. The GameCube collection on Switch 2 now lists 11 games, including The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion, F-Zero GX, Soulcalibur II, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. The Nintendo 64 library includes Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64; Game Boy Advance has The Minish Cap and Mario Kart: Super Circuit; the Mega Drive has Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Streets of Rage 2.
Unlike Game Pass and PS Plus, the retro libraries do not churn: games are added, and rarely removed. What you do not get is anything new. Nintendo’s own releases are sold separately at full price.
Streaming and connection needs
There is no cloud streaming: everything is downloaded and played locally, so a modest broadband connection is fine. Retro games can be played offline, though you need to connect at least once every seven days to keep access. GameChat on Switch 2 needs a registered mobile number, and video chat needs a USB-C camera, sold separately.
The commuter test. A teenager taking the bus to college can play the downloaded retro libraries on a Switch Lite with no signal at all, as long as the console has connected to the internet that week.
Devices supported
- Nintendo Switch, Switch OLED, Switch Lite and Switch 2
- GameCube classics and GameChat on Switch 2 only
- The Nintendo Switch App on iOS and Android, for voice chat and game services
- The Nintendo Music app on phones
How to subscribe and cancel
- Open Nintendo eShop on your Switch and select Nintendo Switch Online.
- Choose the free trial, or an individual or family plan.
- For a family plan, the buyer must be the family group’s administrator; invite members from the Nintendo Account website.
- Pay by card, PayPal or Nintendo eShop funds.
- To stop renewal, go to your account information in Nintendo eShop and turn off automatic renewal at least 48 hours before the membership expires.
Nintendo does not refund unused time, but memberships bought from Nintendo eShop carry a 14-day statutory right to cancel in the UK and EU. Once automatic renewal is off, it cannot be switched back on; you simply buy again.
App ratings and customer service
The Nintendo Switch App scores 3.1 out of 5 from 13K ratings on the US App Store and 3.9 from more than 77K reviews on Google Play. The app now handles GameChat invites and the Zelda guide features for Switch 2, and a recurring request in reviews is fuller voice chat. Support runs through Nintendo’s regional support sites, such as support.nintendo.com.
What users say
Nintendo’s Trustpilot score is 1.3 out of 5 from 1,401 reviews, but very few mention Switch Online; they concern support waits, refunds and Switch 2 hardware. On forums and in app reviews, the long-running complaints are the absence of new games compared with Game Pass, and the quality of online play in fast games. The praise centres on the family plan’s value and the GameCube library.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Cheapest of the console subscriptions, from £17.99 a year
- Family plan covers up to eight accounts
- Expansion Pack bundles paid add-ons for Mario Kart and Animal Crossing
- GameCube classics on Switch 2
- Free trial ends on its own, with no surprise charge
Cons
- No new releases in the library
- No cloud streaming
- Expansion Pack is pricier in the US
- Retro games need an online check every seven days
- Most online play requires it, so it is hard to avoid
Nintendo Switch Online vs the rest
| Nintendo Switch Online | Xbox Game Pass | PlayStation Plus | GeForce NOW | Apple Arcade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan (UK) | £17.99 a year | £6.99 a month | £59.99 a year | Free tier | £49.99 a year |
| Family option | 8 accounts, £31.49 a year | Home Xbox | Console sharing | No | Up to 5 others |
| Free trial | 7 days | US$1 first month (US) | No | Free tier | 1 month, 3 with new device |
| New releases | No | Day one on Ultimate | Some | Bring your own | New Arcade games |
| Cloud streaming | No | 5 to 15 hours a month | Premium | 100 hours a month | No |
For a larger catalogue on other hardware, see our PlayStation Plus review and, for families on iPads, our Apple Arcade review.
Also worth comparing: EA Play, Ubisoft+, Humble Choice, Amazon Luna and Boosteroid.
Nintendo Switch Online FAQs
Is Nintendo Switch Online worth it?
If you play online in Mario Kart, Splatoon or Animal Crossing, yes, and at £17.99 a year it is cheap. The family plan is excellent value for a household with several accounts.
Is the Expansion Pack worth it?
For Switch 2 owners who want the GameCube games or Mario Kart 8’s Booster Course Pass, yes. For occasional players, the standard plan is enough.
How many people can use a Nintendo Switch Online family membership?
Up to eight Nintendo Accounts in the same family group, on different consoles.
Is there a Nintendo Switch Online free trial?
Yes, 7 days, once per Nintendo Account, for the standard membership.
Is there a Nintendo Switch Online promo code?
No Promo Code is needed. Use the free trial, then buy annually or share a family plan.
Which GameCube games are on Nintendo Switch Online?
Eleven at last count, including The Wind Waker, Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion and F-Zero GX. They need a Switch 2 and the Expansion Pack.
How do I turn off Nintendo Switch Online auto-renewal?
In Nintendo eShop, under your account information, at least 48 hours before expiry.
Can I get a refund on Nintendo Switch Online?
Nintendo does not refund unused time, but eShop purchases come with a 14-day right to cancel in the UK and EU.
Does Nintendo Switch Online work abroad?
Yes. To play online on holiday, a travel eSIM, such as those in our Airalo review, can provide a hotspot, and a VPN helps on hotel Wi-Fi, though both add some lag.
Verdict
Nintendo Switch Online is a modest service priced accordingly. For a single player it is the cost of online Mario Kart; for a family, the eight-account plan makes it one of the best-value subscriptions in gaming. The Expansion Pack earns its price on Switch 2, where the GameCube library and bundled add-ons add up, but if you want new games in a subscription, you are on the wrong console.
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